The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1887-07-06

4 tiOu HDu l06 OulOu, 70 bu0 Iudul1 uctcL
mination as citizens to meet conscientious.
| ly and in the fear of God the questions and
issues Of the hour, and to such an abiding
faith in the magnificent destiny
OF the Republic as will lead
each of Us to trust that
Almighty Being who spoke from the
cloud and the pillar of FIRE to the leader of
Israel, saying, Speak to the children OF
Israel that they 60 forward, and who to-
day is calling us by his providence to
higher and nobler achievements in the
cause of humanity and the government of
the people"
| Upon behalf of Picketts veterans, Cap
| tain G. p. Reeve, of Richmond, the COM
mander OF Plcketts Division Association,
responded as follows:
| Friends and comrades-I desire for N.Y.
self and comrades to tender you our heart
felt thanks for the kind, cordial and hearty
| welcome extended to Us on this, an occasion
| never to be forgotten by us, but cherished
and remembered as bright spot in the
checkered pathway of life. III in the re-
marks which desire to make on q subject
| of which have thought much and felt
deeply / should be led to say some things
| which might be better left unsaid,
i attribute them to the warmth of my feel
ings on the subject; bear in mind that |
am speaking in no representative capacity,
| but am solely responsible for the sentiments
l utter. Perhaps some Of you have seen an
article in the New York Herald on the SUBJ
ject of Union monument to be erected on
the spot selected by Hancock and PIckett's
divisions, which should be national
in its character, not commemorative of any
particular division of either army, bat to
the memory of the dead of both armies. A
monument of American valor and magnan-
in ity, a monument which would stand as
a pledge of PERPETUAL union, seeing US
united in doing honor 10 our dead; pledge
of perpetual reconciliation--a mizpah
stone; its shaft pointing upward,
calling upon heaven to witness our recon.
Citation and renewed covenant that
neither of us would ever pass it to harm the
other, and saying IN the language of
scripture, The Lord watch between thou
and US And what shall say for those,
my comrades, endeared by privations
shared, hardships endured and dangers en-
counterfeit Scarcely is there battle field
from Bull Run to Appomattox on which
some dear to me did not crown with
their lives their devotion to their native
State. Dear comrades, honored as men,
loved as companions, cold in death will
my heart be ere | cease to love and honor
you, yet my heart is large enough to en-
brace my whole county, from the Atlantic
to the Pacific, from the lakes to the guilt,
to rejoice in her prosperity, to glory in her
.
course is as glorious as her might is resist
less, when her magnanimity equals her
power. And to you, gentlemen of
Gettysburg, let me say this is an
opportunity to display a magnanimity
worthy of this great nation. Leave to
time the touch-stoDe which tries all human
action, the question of right and wrong in
volved; let the future historian, probably
yet unborn, try the cause; aud posterity
Will render q verdict which is apt to be
lust. To them let us leave it. Its deeds
have been done, Its drama closed,
but for our country there remains
future. We, too, are making history.
II this occasion, being in the interest
of peace aud reconciliation, will fill bright
paee in that history, with what luster
would that one shine which would record
a similar reunion, national in its character,
in which should be buried all rancor and
hatred, from which we could go forth, not
merely as citizens, but as friends and
brothers, animated by one aim-the great
ness and glory of Cur common country.
Adopt, in its true spirit the union monu-
ment suggested, and, with magnanimity
broad enough to embrace our whole c0un-
try, deep enough 10 bury in oblivion the
bitterness and hate OF past strife, build on
the spot q monument to immortaliZe
American vaior and demonstrate American
Hagnanimity. Let the whole country join
with the National Government and every
State in the Union. Complete il, If possible,
by the twenty fifth anniversary of the
battle. Send out your invitations, and, my
word for it, Gettysburg will witness such a
gathering as the whole world has seldom
seen. Its hills and valleys dotted with
white tents, not filed with angry COM
batants ready to hurl each other to destruc-
ton, but with the highest type of American
manhood, ready to Join hands in true
Il. Ill
make US again united aud happy people.
Do this and write the name Of America
higher on the roll of true fame than you
could have done had you been able to
write yourselves victorious on every
battle field of the war. 1 can
not but believe that this sug-
gestion will commend itself to the good
men everywhere in our broad land, and if
properly carried out will do more to restore
true friendship in these sections than any
other one thing which could be done. Let
US, my countrymen, embrace the oppor-
tunity and make one page in American
history which shall shine with luster un-
surpassed by any recorded since the world
began"
Upon the conclusion of Captain Rsev els
speech Colonel Banes introduced Colonel
Alexander X. Mcclure, of Philadelphia,
who had been chosen to extend a welcome
from the citizens of Philadelphia particu-
lally and from the State of Pennsylvania
generally, to the Virginians. In conclud-
ing his address Colonel Mcclure said:
II greet you in the name of the great
North, now insepsrably interviewer with
the great South In sympathy, in interest
and in fellowship. Free govern
ment is stronger at home aud might
Ter abroad today because of the
wounds of civil war, and our children and
Our children's children will turn to its
sacrifices, its sorrows and its irrevocable
judgments es the surest guarantee that
Government of the people, by the people,
and for the people shall not perish from
| the earth. :"
Colonel William r. Aylette, who sue
ceeded General Armistead as commander
of the brigade upon the death OF Armistead,
| having been chosen to respond on behalf
of the State of Virginia to Pennsylvania
J welcome, said:
Not only do we receive aud shall ever
! treasure the noble sentiments OF Colonel
Mcclure as the voice OF Pennsylvania
and her chief city, bat also OF those brave
men who met rs here twenty -four years ago
| with valor that we could not overcome,
and who meet us here tonight with
loving welcome so dear to us and to our
| people. Not only do we cherish the ssnti-
ments 80 nobly expressed, 80 warm aud
true from the hearts of our brethren of the
i INT hor "a nd